Motion control · Free online course

Servo Drives and Motion Control

What a servo system is, how to wire, mode, home, tune and network one, then motion programming in Studio 5000 and Siemens TIA Portal technology objects.

15 modules
10h 50m of video
Intermediate
English
₹0, free

Servo Drives and Motion Control course cover

₹0Free for good

Worth ₹6,999 by length and depth against classroom training. It has always been free; that is not a former price.

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Overview

About Servo Drives and Motion Control

What a servo system is, how to wire, mode, home, tune and network one, then motion programming in Studio 5000 and Siemens TIA Portal technology objects.

Servo Drives and Motion Control is a free, self-paced online course from EDWartens for engineering students, ITI and diploma holders, and working engineers in machine building and automation. It has 15 modules and 10h 50m of video lessons by AutomationDirect, Shane Welcher, Jason Watts AE, with written notes and worked problems, a practical project with a document pack and a 15-question final assessment (pass mark 60%). Learning is free with an account; an optional certificate with a public verification code is issued when you pass. Last updated 27 September 2026.

Who it is for: Engineering students, ITI and diploma holders, and working engineers in machine building and automation

This course includes

10h 50m of video lessons
15 modules with written notes and diagrams
One final assessment: 15 questions, pass mark 60%
Ask-an-engineer support from practising engineers
Lifetime access, the course does not expire
Optional verifiable certificate when you finish

Step 1 of 3
Learn the 15 modules
10h 50m of video lessons, written notes and a practice task per module, at your own pace.
Step 2 of 3
Pass the final assessment
15 questions drawn from every module, pass mark 60%, 3 attempts.
Step 3 of 3
Take the certificate, if you want it
Optional, paid once, only if you choose it. The course stays free either way.
See the certificate and its price

A look inside

Servo Drives and Motion Control: Syllabus at a glance — Syllabus at a glance

Servo Drives and Motion Control: What you will be able to do — What you will be able to do

Servo Drives and Motion Control: Tools and credits — Tools and credits

From the lessons

Servo Systems and Selection
by AutomationDirect.com
Control Modes: Position, Speed, Torque
by AutomationDirect.com
Tuning
by AutomationDirect.com
Networking a Servo Drive
by AutomationDirect.com
Conversion Constants and Mechanics
by Shane Welcher SR
Homing, Gearing, Groups and Faults
by Shane Welcher SR

Lesson frames belong to the creators named in the Credits and are shown from YouTube.

What you learn

What you will be able to do

Explain servo motors, drives and feedback and choose a system, wire and jog a drive, use position, speed and torque modes, home and position, tune, handle braking and STO, network over EtherNet/IP and Modbus, program Logix motion with conversion constants, profiles, gearing and homing, and configure Siemens S120 drives, telegrams and technology objects with the MC_ blocks.

Choose a servo system by torque, speed, inertia ratio and feedback
Wire, configure and jog a servo drive
Use position, speed and torque modes and know the runaway risk
Home, position absolutely, gear electronically and tune with the scope
Design the stop chain: STO, brake, regen
Network a drive over EtherNet/IP and Modbus
Program Logix motion: MSO, MAH, MAM, MAG, conversion constants, profiles, faults
Configure Siemens S120, telegrams, technology objects and MC_ blocks

Syllabus

Course content, module by module

In order, at whatever pace suits you. Each module ends with a practice task that builds on the last.

Modules: 15
Video lessons: 66
Of video: 10h 50m
Final questions: 15

01
Servo Systems and Selection
5 lessons · 25m
02
Hardware, Wiring and First Jog
3 lessons · 30m
03
Control Modes: Position, Speed, Torque
6 lessons · 55m
04
Homing, Absolute Positioning, Gearing
3 lessons · 25m
05
Tuning
3 lessons · 27m
06
Braking, STO and E-Stop
5 lessons · 40m
07
Networking a Servo Drive
6 lessons · 50m
08
Studio 5000 Motion: From Scratch
5 lessons · 1h 41m
09
Conversion Constants and Mechanics
4 lessons · 41m
10
Motion Instructions and Profiles
5 lessons · 53m
11
Homing, Gearing, Groups and Faults
8 lessons · 1h 1m
12
Siemens: S120, Telegrams, Technology Objects
4 lessons · 1h 16m
13
Siemens MC_ Blocks
6 lessons · 41m
14
Siemens Gearing and Its Dangers
2 lessons · 26m
15
Final Assessment
1 lesson · 10m
Final assessment · 15 questions, pass mark 60%

Show all 15 modules

Project

The course project

Optional practice that ends in the kind of job the course prepares you for, with the documents that go with it.

About 20 hours

Twelve-station indexing turret on a pharma filler: size, tune, make safe and prove one servo axis

Engineer the single servo axis that indexes a twelve-station rotary turret on a liquid-filling line: derive the motion profile from the bottles-per-minute target, size the motor and gearbox by inertia ratio and RMS torque, write the axis list and PR move table, wire the PLC handshake and the STO circuit, tune the loop and record it, then prove the machine at FAT. You deliver the sizing spreadsheet, the drive parameter file, the tuning record and the FAT record. The sample pack shows what a machine builder's motion engineer hands to the pharmaceutical customer.

Sample document pack, 8 documents, filled in for the scenario

Axis listAxis List and Motion Profile: Turret Index Axis A1
ReportServo Sizing Report: Turret Index Axis A1
Control narrativeControl Narrative: RF-1 Turret Index and Station Sequencing
I/O listI/O List: PLC to Drive Handshake, Station Sensors and Safety
Drive parameter listDrive Parameter List: ASDA-A3, Axis A1, as Commissioned
Test reportTuning Report: Axis A1 Inertia Estimation, Gains, Settling and Resonance
SRSSafety Requirements Specification: RF-1 Emergency Stop, Guard Doors and STO
FATFactory Acceptance Test Record: RF-1 Turret Axis and Safety Functions

Read inside the course and download as a workbook. The project is optional practice, marked when you submit it; the certificate needs only the modules and the final assessment.

Tools

Software, hardware and lessons

Software

SureServo2 Pro (free) for the drive modules; for the PLC motion modules, optionally Studio 5000 Logix Designer (paid) or TIA Portal V21 (21-day trial)

Hardware

None required. A small servo kit makes tuning and homing real.

Who it is for

Intermediate. PLC programming assumed.

Video lessons by

AutomationDirect
Shane Welcher
Jason Watts AE

Independent creators, credited in full under Credits.

Software you need

What to download, where from, what it costs and how to install it. Every link goes to the maker's own site, never a mirror.

Studio 5000 and TIA Portal are only for the PLC motion modules.

Required

01
SureServo2 Pro
AutomationDirect
Free
Runs on
Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10 or 11
Account
None needed
Size
about 81 MB download
AutomationDirect describes SureServo2 Pro as free software for configuring, tuning and monitoring SureServo2 drives. Use is under the AutomationDirect end user licence agreement shown on the download page.
Show the 4 stepsHide the steps
Steps
1. 1.Open the SureServo2 Pro software download page.
2. 2.Click Download for the current version.
3. 3.Unzip the file and run the installer.
4. 4.Start SureServo2 Pro and open or create a drive parameter file.
Official download pageautomationdirect.com

Optional

Useful, not needed to finish the course.

02
Studio 5000 Logix Designer
Rockwell Automation
Paid only
Runs on
Windows (check the Studio 5000 entry on the Product Compatibility and Download Center for exact versions)
Account
A Rockwell Automation account plus a purchased licence (serial number or subscription)
Rockwell sells Studio 5000 Logix Designer as a perpetual licence or a paid subscription. Rockwell's product page offers no public free trial or free edition.
Show the 5 stepsHide the steps
Steps
1. 1.If your employer or college has a Studio 5000 licence, ask for access and the serial number.
2. 2.Sign in to the Rockwell Product Compatibility and Download Center and search for Studio 5000 Logix Designer.
3. 3.Download the version that matches your controller firmware.
4. 4.Install it as administrator and activate the licence with FactoryTalk Activation Manager.
5. 5.If you have no licence, use one of the free Rockwell tools listed below instead.
- Match the Logix Designer major version to the controller firmware you will use.
Rockwell Automation product pagerockwellautomation.com
Legitimate free routes
- Connected Components Workbench Standard Edition: Free. Programs Micro800 controllers and includes a demo Micro800 Simulator.
- FactoryTalk Design Workbench: Free Rockwell tool for Micro800 controllers, listed with the free downloads on PCDC.
- RSLogix Micro Starter Lite: Free edition for MicroLogix 1000 and 1100.
- FactoryTalk Design Studio free trial: Rockwell's cloud-based Logix design software with a free 90-day trial in the browser.
- Rockwell Automation training: Instructor-led Studio 5000 courses; an employer licence is the other legitimate route.
03
SIMATIC STEP 7 Professional and WinCC (TIA Portal) V21 Trial
Siemens
Free trial: 21 days
Runs on
Windows 11 Pro or Enterprise 64-bit (24H2), Windows 10 Enterprise 2021 LTSC, or Windows Server 2022/2025. Windows 11 Home is supported only for the Basic editions.
Account
A free Siemens account registered for Industry Online Support (SiePortal)
Size
about 8.1 GB for the main ISO, plus an optional 3.1 GB DVD 2 with hardware support packages
Siemens lets registered users download the V21 trial of STEP 7 (Basic and Professional), STEP 7 Safety and WinCC and test it for 21 days. The same package is used for the full product; after 21 days you need a purchased licence to keep working.
Show the 6 stepsHide the steps
Steps
1. 1.Open the Siemens trial page (entry 109989774) and sign in with your Siemens Industry Online Support account.
2. 2.Download TIA_Portal_STEP7_Safety_WinCC_V21.iso (8.1 GB).
3. 3.Download S7-PLCSIM_V21.iso (2.5 GB) from the same page: PLCSIM is a separate download.
4. 4.Right-click each ISO, choose Mount, and run Start.exe as administrator. Install STEP 7 and WinCC first, then PLCSIM.
5. 5.Follow the setup, accept the licence terms and restart the PC when asked.
6. 6.Open TIA Portal V21 and create a new project to confirm it runs.
- Install from a local drive with plenty of free space; Siemens lists 20 GB free as the minimum and the ISOs alone are over 10 GB.
- You only need DVD 2 if you want extra hardware support packages.
- If you cannot install locally, Siemens also offers a 21-day TIA Portal Cloud trial in the browser (one-hour sessions, not in every country).
Official download pagesupport.industry.siemens.com
Alternatives
- TIA Portal Cloud trial: 21 days free in a cloud virtual machine, no install. Sessions are limited to one hour and it is not available in every country.

Checked against each maker's own page on 27 September 2026. Trial lengths and editions change; the maker's page is the final word.

What you walk away with

Your certificate for Servo Drives and Motion Control

Finish the course, pass the final, and this is the document with your name on it.

Sample Wartens Certificate of Completion for Servo Drives and Motion Control, issued through the EDWartens training portal — Sample. The issued certificate carries your name, your final score, a unique certificate ID and its own QR code.

Verifiable by anyone
A unique certificate number and a public verification page. A recruiter checks it in ten seconds.
Adds to LinkedIn in one click
Issuer, credential ID and URL prefilled, with 6 matching skills to pin to your profile.
QR code on the certificate
Scans straight to the verification page, so a printed copy proves itself.
Names what you can do
Lists the topics covered, from servo motors, drives, feedback and system selection to siemens s120, profidrive telegrams, technology objects and the mc_ blocks including gearing.
A permanent link
Put it on a CV, a portfolio or an application. The URL never changes.
Earned, not attended
Issued only after every module and a final assessment at 60%, with 3 attempts. That is why it stands up.

Learning is free. The certificate is optional.

Add it now and pay only when you have finished the course, or come back for it later. One-off, US$28.99, with a receipt.

Issued by Wartens Ltd (England and Wales, company no. 15262249) through the EDWartens training portal, as a Certificate of Completion for this self-paced course. Sold in India by Wartens Automation Private Limited. It is not a vendor certification, a university award or a CPD-accredited activity, and it does not certify competence on live equipment. Delivered electronically; see the refund policy.

FAQ

Common questions

Do I need a servo?

No. The drive modules can be followed with the free configuration software offline; a small servo kit makes tuning and homing hands-on.

Which vendors are covered?

AutomationDirect SureServo2 for the drive fundamentals (the same concepts apply to Delta, Yaskawa, Panasonic), Rockwell Kinetix for Logix motion, and Siemens S120 with TIA Portal technology objects.

How much maths?

Conversion constants and gear ratios: arithmetic. The rest is behaviour you see on a scope.

Is this safe to practise?

Servo axes move fast and hard. Practise with limits set, low speeds and torque limits, and never in torque mode without a speed limit.

Is the Servo Drives and Motion Control course really free?

Yes. Every module, practice task and assessment. You create an account so your progress is saved and the assessments can be marked. The certificate is the only paid item, and only if you want it.

What certificate do I get, and is it a vendor qualification?

An EDWartens Certificate of Completion, issued when you pass the final assessment, with a verification code anyone can check. It is not a vendor credential and is never described as one.

Who made the video lessons in the Servo Drives and Motion Control course?

The creators named in the Credits block at the foot of this page, on their own YouTube channels. EDWartens did not make the videos and the creators are not affiliated with EDWartens. What EDWartens wrote is the study plan, the notes, the practice tasks and the assessments.

Is the Servo Drives and Motion Control course free in India, and what does the certificate cost?

Yes. Learning costs ₹0 in India: every module, the written notes, the practice tasks and the final assessment, with no card and no trial period. The only paid item is the optional EDWartens Certificate of Completion, ₹599 including GST for this intermediate course, paid in rupees through Razorpay, and only if you want it after passing the final assessment.

Is there classroom motion control training in India as well?

Yes. EDWartens India runs the Automation Engineer Program (AEP), a classroom programme at its Electronic City centre in Bangalore. The Automation Engineer Program (AEP) covers VFDs and drives alongside PLC programming, taught in person at our Electronic City centre. This free course is separate and fully online; it is a good way to try the subject before deciding on classroom training. Details are at edwartens.co.in/vfd-drives-training-bangalore, and the programme itself at edwartens.co.in/courses/aep.

All course facts

Price: ₹0, free for good. No trial, no card. Comparable classroom training of this length costs about ₹6,999.
Who it is for: Engineering students, ITI and diploma holders, and working engineers in machine building and automation
Format: 15 self-paced modules, 10h 50m of video, written notes, a practice task per module and one final assessment.
Level: Intermediate. Intermediate. PLC programming assumed.
Brand: Vendor-neutral
Software: SureServo2 Pro (free) for the drive modules; for the PLC motion modules, optionally Studio 5000 Logix Designer (paid) or TIA Portal V21 (21-day trial)
Hardware: None required. A small servo kit makes tuning and homing real.
Certificate: Optional EDWartens Certificate of Completion, ₹599 inclusive of GST for learners in India, verifiable by code. Not a vendor credential.
Video lessons by: AutomationDirect, Shane Welcher, Jason Watts AE (independent creators, credited below)
Language: English
Last updated: 27 September 2026

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Credits

Who made the video lessons

The video lessons in this course were created by the people below, not by EDWartens. Every lesson streams from its creator's own YouTube channel; EDWartens neither hosts nor sells that footage, and the creators are not affiliated with EDWartens and do not endorse this course. What EDWartens wrote is the study plan, the notes, the practice tasks and the assessments.

AutomationDirectthe SureServo2 servo drive tutorials
Shane Welcherthe Studio 5000 servo controls series
Jason Watts AEthe Siemens motion control and technology object lessons

If you are one of these creators and would like a lesson removed or credited differently, write to info@wartens.com.